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Stewards of Gondor
The Stewards of Gondor were firstly the chief high councillors to the Kings of Gondor and then the rulers of Gondor, until the return of the rightful ruler King Aragorn II Elessar. History First created by the powerful King Rómendacil I, Steward was the traditional title of a chief counsellor to the Kings of Gondor. He was usually an elderly man not from the Royal House chosen for his wisdom and integrity, and was never permitted to go to war nor to go abroad.Unfinished Tales, Part Three: The Third Age, II: "Cirion and Eorl and the Friendship of Gondor and Rohan", Notes During the time of the Steward Pelendur, from the famous House of Húrin, the title became hereditary, passing the station of counsellor from father to son, much like the Kingship. The House of Húrin was founded by one Húrin of Emyn Arnen, Steward to King Minardil, the twenty-fifth King of Gondor. They were of high Númenórean blood, but not descendants of Elendil in the ruling line. After the death of King Eärnur, who left no heir to the throne of Gondor, the Steward Mardil Voronwë became the first of the Ruling Stewards. Mardil was the first of the Stewards to administer Gondor, and his descendants did so for 25 generations. The Stewards watched over the throne until it could be reclaimed by a true King of Gondor, an heir of Elendil. When asked by his son Boromir how long a time must pass before a Steward could become a King, if the King did not return, Denethor II replied, "Few years, maybe, in other places of less royalty … In Gondor ten thousand years would not suffice" (reported by Faramir in The Two Towers). The Stewards never sat on the throne of the King; instead, they sat on a simple chair of black stone placed below it. The symbol of their office was a white rod. The Quenya name for the title is Arandur , "Servant of the King". Known Stewards to the King of Gondor Ruling Stewards of Gondor Soon after the death of Denethor II, Aragorn II Elessar was crowned King. The Steward Faramir, son of Denethor II, surrendered to the King his rod of office, but it was returned to him. Faramir nominally ruled briefly as Steward until Elessar's coronation, but since Faramir rested in the Houses of Healing, Prince Imrahil of Dol Amroth took his place during much of that time. Though Faramir became Steward a month and a half before Elessar became King, Faramir is not considered one of the Ruling Stewards. King Elessar confirmed in Faramir and his descendants the office of Steward of Gondor, and granted him in addition the Princedom of Ithilien, ensuring his line a position as counsellor of the King. The original model for the Stewards of Gondor is probably the title of steward, a medieval king's follower in Europe. In England there arose a powerful office, that of Lord High Steward, which was the principle advisor to the monarch. The office has fallen into disuse, but remains to this day for coronations only. ---- :See House of Hador and Húrin for information on the Húrin of the First Age. Translations References de:Truchsess it:Sovrintendente di Gondor pl:Namiestnik Gondoru ru:Наместник Гондора Category:Ranks and Titles of Men Category:Ranks and Titles of Gondor Category:Rulers of Gondor Category:Stewards of Gondor